Local soccer fans, mark May 29 on your calendar.
The Cleveland Browns and U.S. Soccer announced today that the U.S. men's national team will play a friendly against Belgium on that day at FirstEnergy Stadium. The 8 p.m. game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
“We are extremely excited that FirstEnergy Stadium was selected as the site for an event which will have a tremendous amount of national and international interest,” said Browns CEO Joe Banner in a statement. “The opportunity to host a match like this will give soccer fans who make the trip to Cleveland a chance to see all of the great things that our city has to offer.”
Tickets for the match will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. next Tuesday, March 19. Prior to the public on sale, Browns season ticket holders will be able to buy tickets starting this Saturday, March 16, at 10 a.m. and running through Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
The Browns said in a news release that the game will mark the third time the city of Cleveland has hosted a U.S. men's national team match. On May 26, 2006, the U.S. men defeated Venezuela, 2-0, in the second stage of the Send-Off Series for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The team's first match in Cleveland came on May 21, 1994; they were defeated by Bayern Munich, 3-2, at the old Municipal Stadium.
The match against Belgium is a prelude to the men's team playing three FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June and the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July.